Lately it seems as though you can’t dine out (or in) with a group of friends without dining with someone who has food allergies — or strong food preferences. Be it an allergy to dairy, gluten, nuts, or seafood or a preference for raw foods or vegan cuisine, diners are testing the mettle of many chefs with extreme special requests. Janny Hu, of the San Francisco Chronicle, visits the issue, talking with chefs at Coi, La Mar Cebicheri­a Peruana, and Saison to find out how they handle multiple special requests — often from the same individual.

Find out if the diner is ALWAYS right, and let us know what you think about folks who make multiple special requests relating to ingredients. Should someone who is allergic to dairy and gluten expect to be accommodated at a pizza place? Should chefs be ready to prepare raw foods on a moment’s notice? Weigh in here or over on Facebook.

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Caroline Potter

Caroline Potter is the Chief Dining Officer for OpenTable, Inc. She’s a dining trend-spotter and an OpenTable VIP, who dines out more than she eats in and has accrued more than 10,000 Dining Rewards points. Caroline started working in restaurants as a teen and she's since tackled every front-of-the-house job, from bartender and hostess to runner and server. She trained as a chef at Manhattan’s prestigious French Culinary Institute, cooking at L’Ecole. In addition to her role at OpenTable, she has written about food from farm to table for New York City’s famed Greenmarket and Edible Brooklyn and Edible East End magazines. Caroline is also a Certified Master Gardener.